Monday, August 31, 2009

WOW do I have some fun things for you in this post!!! I combined two challenges. The first is this fabulous sketch from Kerin . Isn't this sketch fun?

I combined this with the clean and graphic challenge on Moxie Fab Blog . I think this card has the fun letters and graphics. Here is my card

There is no stamping on this card and the fun lettering I think would apply for the clean graphics. Okay, my version of clean. I love the button accents as well. I had to add some spounging. This is all thanks to Beate. She is fabulous and so inspirational. I loved her video with the difference spounging made on the card. Oh and I am so in love with Soft Suede. If you haven't tired it yet, it is worth the effort without a doubt.

Well it is going to be Christmas city around here in the next few days. I am not normally thinking about Christmas right now, but there are some fun challenges over at Moxie Fab World and I just can't resist.

This challenge was for a vintage/shabby sheek card. I am really not quite a vintage kind of girl. I am more of a clean line stamping kind of girl, LOL but here I am. It was tons of fun trying different styles and having someone break them down. I did pick up some fun new things, like I am REALLY into bling right now.

I did tons of spounging and dsp layers. I stiched and lots of rumpling. When I am trying other styles I am really grateful that I have a full time job and I always think to myself don't quit your dayjob yet LOL!

This was a stampin up only card for the most part. I did add one PTI red button. Love the new dsp by the way. This collection has a really neat gold sheen and some really fun flocked dsp. I am always hesitant to crack into the specialty papers, but I am making myself cut into them this year.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

I am on a combo challenge roll LOL! I have some fun things to share this week and it might be a multi post few days. Todays is a multi combo challenge. I have been working on Kristina's two peas in a bucket August challenge. It was to make one layer cards. I am not sure if I am allowed to submit three, but there were three different techniques to try, so I went with it. The others are for later in the week.

I then got on Traveling Mama's blog and she has her challenge up again. She is also raising money for a school in Moroco, very cool. It was to use one of the photos as inspiration. You will se the photo I choose below. Then just as I was sitting down to make my card, I checked out the Moxie Fab site and saw TONS of challenges for Christmas cards. This one is for a stamping card challenge found here. Wham I now had a fun and quick one layer card idea. Here is my card I know, I know upon first blush this card has NOTHING to do with the photo, but stick with me it works (at least in my own little head LOL). Okay so one of the techniques for the one sheet wonder class was repetition and once I saw that picture all I could think about was the repeating bottles, so there was my inspiration. I then went with a Christmas theme. It might not seem all that Christmasie to you, but if you live in Illinois, it is always cold and usually snowing for Christmas.

On a side note everytime I see this saying I think of that fabulous song "Baby it's cold outside" and also of the movie ELF where it is in one of the scenes as well. Super fun if you ask me LOL! I am also stuck on bling for a while. One of the challenges on the Moxie Fab World blog was to use bling and now I can't seem to put it away. I sure like the finish it put on this fun one layer card.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

So excited about finally sharing this card with you! I saw this CPS sketch and new I needed to use it for Izzy's 3rd birthday invitation. She turns 3 on September 15, so needless to say I am way behind schedule LOL! Thankfully it is just family and a few close friends, so they have the date saved so I can be a little behind with the card. Here is my card

I used this little beauty from Stamping Bella because these little bugs remind me of my sweet little Izzy. I also found this fabulous new challenge blog called Stampin Sisters in Christ and I am so excited to play along for their first challenge. Weekly they are going to put a verse and a challenge up and we are supposed to create a card or page with the challenge. The verse this week is

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35 (NIV)

Your challenge is to make a card that has some sort of food or drink theme. They also had this great interpertation of the verse that I would love to share as well. I took this part as a personal challenge for my week. With everything going on in our family this week, the reminder was so appropriate. So let us not grumble about the things we don't have, but rejoice in the fact that all our needs are met through Jesus Christ our Lord, who IS the bread of life. Eternal life is only possible through Him, who was sent by God. Praise God! Isn't that perfect. Needless to say, I choose this cute little hugabug that I hadn't inked up yet for Izzy's invites.

I used copics from box A & B to color her in. I must say if you want to practice coloring, make 12 of these in a few days for invites LOL! I am now to the point where I "need" box C. Look out copic world here I come LOL!

Friday, August 28, 2009

I made this card for a bunch of Stamp TV challenges a while ago. It really fits for my mood today. My 44 year old cousin is being pulled off all the machienes today. WOW!!! Life really is too short. Here is the sketch I worked off of. Here is my card

This is a beginning attempt at copic coloring. I am so excited about my copic skills. While I still have a really long way to go, it is tons of fun and I am loving the chance to try. I have had a lot of time to try with Izzy's invitations.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

I just had to make another color combo card. It was so neat to see my card on their site, so I had to try again LOL! Here was the color combo from SPCC this week. It was bright and not really my normal colors. Good news about doing so many color combos, I have less and less of a normal! Sorry the sketch is so small, but here is the sketch. I flipped it for my card. The Viva La Verve challenge is a sketch with a twist. The twist is the border edge punch.

Here is my card

I was feeling like a less is more kind of card. I looked and looked, I wish that I had only orange dsp, but alas none was to be found in my in stack. I am a chronic stamp collector and I have vowed to actually use the stinking cute things that I have. I am more than up for the challenge LOL! I have had this cuttie for some time.

Things aren't going well with Tom. He has no blood flowing to his left leg and they are more than likely going to have to amputate three toes if not more. I know he is in the right place and they will figure it out, but it is so hard not to be able to give my family hugs when I know they need it.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Wahoooo! This is one of my favorite times of the year. I adore seeing how everyone interpertes the challenge. This month the challenge was to

Our challenge to you is to create a project inspired by any aspect of fall. How about texture like fabrics, burlap, courduroy or stitching. Then there is color with hues found in autumn leaves, fall berries and other late season delectables. Patterns or motifs such as leaves, pumpkins, wheat and more. Try to use these attributes in fun and interesting ways that may be a little out of your normal comfort zone. We look forward to seeing what you come up with!

One of the things I love about Autumn is the colors, weather getting a little cooler and the wonderful sunsets. Although I can't capture all of that on a card, I did want to try and capture the colors. I love the rich vibrant hues that can be found.

Here is my card I have the origional set of Out on a Limb, so my sentiments are a bit small, but it still beautiful. I am VERY tempeted to get the larger version LOL! I love the scene that was created.

I had some fun alcohol inks laying around my home for quite some time (a few years LOL) and I hadn't really played with them at all. I just saw a video from Jennifer on how to use them and I just had to give it a try. The colors and shimmer that it created was stunning. It really captured the colors of fall for me and I am so glad I finally played with them. I love the silouette that was created. It reminds me of a fall sunset right outside our home.

Can you see the shimmer produced from the copper fixative? I used pearl fixative on the grass section. This is so shimmery and beautiful. I can't wait to see what everyone else came up with.

I am so excited to have a color combo from Dawn to work on! There is no way I would have ever put this together! It really is quite neat and I love a good challenge. I combined the color combo with the Viva La Verve challenge over on the Verve blog. I have all of my cards done for the month and even a few days early!

Here is my creation

I also wanted to add a close up to show some of the details

What do you think? I was excited about the tag twist. I haven't used my tags for spring set, so I didn't by the autumn tags or the halloween tags from PTI. I like how this turned out. I am going to use this along with another element I have been thinking about for my hostess gift set.

On this card I also used the text set for the first time as well. I think this is going to be a fun one for me to keep on hand for lots of layering. I so wanted the distressing element. I have been on the fence about the tea inks from PTI and I have also been looking at the ranger distressing ink and tool. The jurry is still out on this one. I do like this look though, so I am going to keep working on it. I really liked the paper piercing addition for the large cirlce element. It seemed to be just the right touch.

Oh, it is the 25th, one of my favorite days of the month now LOL! As you know it is the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop tonight, so come back to see the newest creation.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Check out my side bar, I was honored with another top card in my challenges! Isn't that fun. It has been three mentions in the past month from three of my favorite challenge sites. Isn't life good!

I made this card in for a clean and simple challenge over at the Verve forum. Life is good, but it is not always great. My family and extended friends have had some doozies with health this summer. Tom who is my first cousin's husband was rushed up to Chicago with a heart problem. I don't know all of the details, but it is very serrious and they gave him a 50% chance of making it. Tom and Julie have two girls in high school and prayers would be greatly appreciate. I am going to get this in the mail right away so the family knows we are thinking and praying for them.

I dry embossed with the swiss dots folder on the top and bottom and then stamped with Verve stamps. I used feeling groovy and feel better soon sentiment set. I colored them with copics in the cool color family and then used the same cool colors for some fun bling accents.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

I can't wait to post until tomorrow, I am too excited. I was selected for one of the top 5 over at Lauren Meader's weekly challenge. Wahooo!!! Of course, that means I have to play again LOL! Well this week was a bit of a stumper for me. It was a template challenge (love those, that was not the hard part) and a back to school challenge. You can find the challenge here. Izzy is 2, so I don't have a little one going back to school. But my Mom is!!!!

I also combined the Stamp TV Potluck Friday challenge to use buttons and the PPA challenge to create anything but a card. I don't always have time to create things that aren't cards, but I was able to pull it all together for this one and I love the outcome! Here is my creation

This is a fun close up

Here is a side shot. I love those cord brads from Stampin Up even though I have a hard time using them. Isn't that stinking cute! I think my Mom will love it. She is a kindergarden teacher. She always puts a lamp and a few plants at her desk to make it more homey, so I did this little lunchbox template in some of her favorite colors. Inside I have a ton of little chocolates. My Mom is a tiny little thing, but she does like to have a little chocolate every now and again. I think it will come in handy during those stressful first few weeks. I am giving her this cuttie today when we have everyone over for the family diner.

I have never participated in Beates weekend challenge #94. Isn't that CRAZY!!!! Well I had to wrap up a fun DVD baby tin I made for a good friend who just had a baby girl. She makes invitations for weddings and showers, so I wanted to do something really neat. As soon as I saw the weekend sketch, I knew it would work well for the front of the case I created for the DVD tin. Here is the sketch Here is the front of my case.

A side shot

This is the front of the DVD tin. Sorry it is blurry.

I have done other posts about the baby dvd tin gift, so I won't go into that this time. What I do want to chat about is the captured case. This case is a Mytimeless Template offered by Papertrey Ink. I love the templates and I really did forget how fun and easy they are to use. I am going to have to add a few more to my stockpile LOL!

The origional case that you make holds normal cards. I needed something bigger for my DVD tin, so I firgured it out! It really worked out just fine. I used a whole 8 1/2 X 11 piece of paper scored at 1 1/2 on each side. I then constructed the bottom of the box. I took another paper for the top and cut it to 8 X 10 and then scored 3 sides at one inch and one of the long sides at 1 1/2. You then cut out and assemble like the origional template and then assemble. It was easy and it fits my DVD perfectly!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

As you all know by now, I adore the Vival La Verve sketch with a twist challenge. After getting all of the August release, I "need" to have more. So, I am going to try and win them LOL! The twist with this one was to use your favorite color combo. I must admit my favorite changes numberous times and usually depends on what dsp I am in love with at the moment.

This week I did SPCCs color combo of green, brown and white. I had a lot of fun with it, so I did it again LOL! Here is the sketchMy take on the challenge

Isn't this kangaroo fabulous!!! I adore her. I haven't really used my copics much and I am taking a class in September to learn more, but I decided I should have some idea before the class so I have been playing around. I have the first two boxes and the additional colors really helped. I love her little pink cheeks as well.

Do you see the new Papertrey Ink polka dots basics 2 set in the background? It is a new one I just got. I am not sure I love it, but I know I will in a few weeks LOL! This card is going to my Sister in law. She is pregnant and so excited, so I wanted to drop her a line.

This is a double challenge card. The first one is a twilight challenge that was issued by Cammie and her girls . She has a Gina K designs set of your choice up for grabs! I need to warn everyone right now, I haven't seen the movies! My hubby has and he didn't get my card at all :( Our babysitter loves them and so I thought to make a I'm the greatest fan shirt for her and the challenge.

I combined that with the sketch for some blog cand over at Rebecca's blog. The information is located here. Here are the goodies that could be won from Rebecca

How about A COPIC SKETCH MARKER YG03, 20 yards of mixed ribbon and ric-rack, a grab bag of unmounted rubber, SU! die cut tags and two favour boxes, a package of felt flowers, a generous mix of brads, eyelets, butterfly charms, pearls and beads and a brand new package of bright pink Scrapper’s Floss for your paper crafting pleasure! Oh, and some turquoise faux suede cording, envelope seals and two little word bubble embellishments. It ends September 14th, so get going so you have a chance to win. If you let her know I sent you, that would be great. Here is the sketch

Here is my card Does anyone get the card or I am just plain crazy? I might need to find a really big apple lover and give it to them LOL! I thought the apples for the apple on the cover and the whole long sleved t-shirt and being the biggest fan reminds me of Natalie for some reason.

My husband thinks I am crazy by the way, but he hasn't read the books, he cheated and saw the movie. I used stampin up dsp night and day speciality and then stamped the apples from PTI Teacher's Apple set. I added flourishes from the flourish PTI set to the black as well. The apple in the shirt is from the same PTI set. The shirt is fom Little Tees GKD and the saying is from Sporty Tees by GKD. I also wanted to add some bling as that is Natalie as well and then the red ribbon really reminded me of another book cover.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Before I head into the card, I have to share yet another really neat thing I found while surfing last night. I found this neat altered tin at Can you pixel this? . There is a drawing to get your own. She had made hers for her daughter and it is stinking cute. Izzy will be 3 in September and she would think this is the greatest thing ever! Lets see if I have a little luck left LOL!

Onto my fun card. I combined a color combo and a sketch challenge. Both were a bit hard for me this week, but I really like the outcome. The color combo below is from Color Throwdow and the sketch is from Midhight Madness Sketch Challenge . The sketch

My take on the card

Okay, I think the end worked out just fine, but it took me a few tries, LOL! My challenge with the sketch was all of the rectangles and keeping that with the color combo in mind. For some reason, I was in a more clean and simple look. I decided to frame in my rectangle pieces and then using my gel pen to create the box. I used the spounge to color the rectangles a little darker with soft suede ink.

One of the things I adore with the challenges is it forces me to use my in colors much quicker than I normally would. Color Throwdown has been so helpful with that! I adore soft suede now and I don't think I would have fallen in love with it until May like last year and those in colors. By that tie, I had no real time to enjoy the colors before they were gone. This has been great and I am sure it will be my best year with the new in colors yet.

The other thing that I creatively problem solved was the elements on each end of the card. In my latest papertrey ink package I got some jute in and I really didn't know what that was, but I don't think you can go wrong with Papertrey Ink, so I went for it. I love it!!! It is so much more supple than Stampin Up's hemp. It is really user friendly. Okay I put in some eyelets and then wound the jute through and up behind the center piece and knotted it. I really like how it ties those pieces in the sketch together. I also like how it worked with the color combo.

We are going as a family today to the zoo. Isn't that fun! Izzy loves the animals so this will be a wonderful day for us. Hope you are having fun as well.

I adore my new papertrey ink goodies!!! My big box came in yesterday and I have been one happy and busy person. Much of that is due to my wonderful gift from Steph. She is a sweetie and I am loving my goodies. Thank you so much!

As I sat down to work on my card, I was looking at Stamp TV and saw that Cathy was in the hospital with possible heart issues, so I wanted to send her a card. If you would like to as well, you can do so here .

I saw this sketch at CPS knew it would work well for my new Scattered Showers Additions set. Here is my card

Wouldn't that cheer you up? I'm not really sure, but I adore it. I also ordered the new inks from PTI to see what it was all about. I had a hard time with all of the new colors and so I wanted to check it out. The ink is like a chalk ink and I LOVE IT!!!!!! It stamped this beauty without any problem or ink issues. It is fabulous. I will be mailing the old inks back tomorrow.

I loved the rain drop backgrounds, but I couldn't get them to line up like the normal backgrounds do. I have to work on this some more.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Have you ever had just one of those days? I needed to make a card for my sister Dana. She got a new job and she starts tomorrow. So, I started working away and everything I did I actually liked. I ended up making 3 cards today and I like all of them!!!! It really is a great day. If only I could have had such sucess with my business today. I have one home that I am working on closing this week and 2 more contracts we are working through. If only my stamping mojo could transfer to my real estate LOL!

Okay this was for 2 challenges at Stamp TV. Wednesdays are such fun days for us here at the Earley home. I traditionally have the day with Izzy and we always start it with our Stamp TV video. Did you know Beate is also doing a SCS video every wednesday? It just keeps getting better. This week Gina K did one on glitter pens and there is always a challenge for the techniques showed. I also combined this with the color challenge from Stamp TV which was Black, Green and White.

Here is my card I wanted to do a close up of the fun tag and glitter on the clover.

Isn't this stinking cute? I NEVER use glorious green ,but I decided to really challenge myself this week and I adore the results. I had actually picked out the green before the lightbulb went off with the good luck theme. My daughter is OBSESSED with all of the animals from Melaine and GKD. She know which box has those 4 sets and she gets them out daily to stamp out nanimals to color in. She has really been loving the baby animals. She opens up to them and then says AWWWE, look at all of the babies. Stinking cute. Anyway, she had it opened up to the babies and I thought frog. I was going to color him in, but then I thought less is more.

I went with less is more on the glitter pen as well. Luckily when I was at the GKD store this summer, I remembered to pick one up. I must admit at first I thought it had a gold hue, but I know realize it is the shimmer itself. The bling on the tag is from My Favorite Things and it matches perfectly. I wanted to add a little color in the corner and so the hunt was on for green galore ribbon. Soon I realized I have NONE!!! I then decided to try coloring my twill with copic markers. It really died well and I was so pleased. I have never done this before, but it is FABULOUS!!! I then needed to tie the hardware I used for the ribbon in with the rest of the card. The little library clip was the perfect accent.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

To celebrate the release of the Stampin’ Up! Build-A-Bear Workshop collection, Stampin Addicts dot com is giving away an exclusive Build-A-Bear teddy bear that was only available at the 2009 Stampin’ Up! convention. To enter all you have to do is write about it and join the Stampin Addicts forum. Isn't that stinking fun?

Well this was for a few challenges at Stamp TV, but I will be darned if I can remember all of them LOL! I do know there was a color challenge involoved pretty in pink and blush blossom. WOW This was a toughie for me. Here is my card. What do you think? I colored it with copics and I am very much still working on how to do this, but I am taking an online class, so that should be helpful. I also used liquid pearls and then tapped them to make them look like real pearls. I am really liking that technique.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Okay this might not be new to you, but I really just dove into this fun site. I do like Splitcoaststampers and I love all of my other companies, but I miss being WOWED by Stampin Up. Hopefully this will fuel my love/addiction once again. I am so excited to see a Stampin Up based site. Wahooo!!!

Here is the direct link, go and check it out. Stampin AddictsIt's a good life!Terri E.

One of the blessings that has occured since starting my blog is all of the inspiration I have received from all the challenges out there. Everyone thinks so differently and when there are challenges they help me to gown and develop my abilities. One of those amazing women is Kristina

One of the neat things she does is videos, serriously you get to see and hear her creative process twice a week! She does the finally friday videos for 2peasinabuckect.com and they have recently made those into a challenge. This week the challenge was to use dsp in a different way than it was intented.

As I was looking at my dsp, I also had another color challenge in mind from SPCC, which you see below. Don't you love when everything comes together easily!

Here is my creation

I did case my layout from Kristina's Finally Friday card. I adore the simplicity and how he lets the dsp speak for itself. The punch border is actually my label punch turned to the side. I thought the felt letters really worked well. The sentiment is what tied it all together, but I didn't have any stamps that said that, so I used the thickers and my own handwritting. My writting sure is not like some of the greats, but I still like the personal touch. I ended with the faux stiching. Love this card.

This is for Marie and Derrick's wedding card. That is the wedding that Izzy will be a flower girl in. We are getting her dress from the seamstress that altered it for us today. She is so excited about being a princess. Just what the Diva needs to be the center of attention. The wedding is September 5th, so prayers for a safe trip and that Miss thing till be good would be really appreciated!

Priscilla is at it again! Can you even believe that she has more goodies to give away. Click Here to enter She is just too much! Here is the 411 on what she is giving away.

This candy give away is "JUST BECAUSE":) and I'm STARTING this candy, by Giving Away 5 Stamps Sets. It will be a variety of stamps from “Stampin Up”, “Hero Arts”, “Inkadinkado”, “Gina K.”, “Rupa Shevde” to name a few. They are going to be hand picked by me from my BRAND NEW stash collection. They will be all types from Exclusive Hostess Sets, to Halloween, Christmas, and Everyday use Stamps! Sound good? Thought so! The deal even gets sweeter, so keep reading……

Saturday, August 15, 2009

I just got my CPS card done! I finally got some time away from the fun week of Verve and made this beauty. I also got to participate in the Mytime challenge. This week it was a color combo, not my normal at all, but I like the end result. The CPS sketch

Here is my card.

I must apologize about this horrible picture. My cousin works in the lighting field and she is on this challenge for me. Hopefully I will have better lit cards soon LOL! Did you see that Papertrey Ink is changing their ink type? I am pretty excited about this. If you can tell from the picture my plum pudding dosen't look anything like the dsp or paper color, so I will be excited when it is truely perfect match, LOL!

Onto the card. I really like the balloons in Everyday button bits, so when I can I try and use them LOL! Even if the images weren't my thing, the sentiments ROCK!!!! I love the ribbon and brad combo. Oh, I added the stiching on the card beacuse that main element washed out without some defination.

Happy Saturday! Well like a crazy nut I stayed up to put my Papertrey Ink order in last night. It was so much fun I can barely stand it. Okay staying up late wasn't that much fun but putting in the new order was fabulous!!!! One of the other things I adore is seeing what the new blog hop challenge will be. I love thinking about it for a few days before needing to create.

This is a fun and quick card that I made for the PPA challenge this week. I don't normally do a card with a ton of blue, but I was really drawn to the rug, table and chairs. So I went with it Here is my creation

All of the stamps are Papertrey Ink. I adore their stamps. I used faux ribbon and handwritten notes for this one. I kept it really simple and fun. I think that I am going to give this one to my Mom as she starts school next week and I always like to do a little something for her.

I have some appointments today, but I am hoping to make a few cards and maybe a scrapbook page as well.